Hi all - I 'm new to the forum, but couldn't resist joining and jumping in for some ideas seeing all the great experience that is available!I have a reservation starting at GA Pass Though string on September 11 for 6 nights. I got May Lake as an exit point, but that was based mostly on convenience.I was actually thinking about entering and exiting at lambert Dome. I was thinking about following the PCT out of GA and dropping down to the Grand Canyon via Rogers Canyon - or happy to reverse it; especially if that section out of Pate Valley is a steep as it looks. I would rather save my knees and go up it if it is.By my reckoning it's about 58 miles all in so it works out nicely to 8-10 miles day so I can enjoy a more relaxed pace and not rush through. That said, if the better sites, water sources, etc dictate a couple longer days, so be it.

That said, I would prefer a shorter day on the last day as I think it would be a shame to not at least "see" HD and or El Cap.

Of course, if using the May lake exit opens some cool possibilities, I am all ears!

First of all, after Labor Day you will need to take into account the weather. It can still be hot (and if it is, then Pate Valley will be an oven) or it can snow. Depending on what it does, you should head up or down.

The GCT won't be very impressive in September, because the Tuolumne River will be quite low, and the waterfalls will be less spectacular.

Since you have a pass-through, you could easily go up Cold Canyon to explore McCabe Lake and Virginia Canyon, or Matterhorn Canyon. Those are wonderful areas. You could even do the loop up Matterhorn, and back down Kerrick through Benson lake...All of which would be more alpine and scenic that the GCT in the fall.

At least, that's what I would do. We did a nice trip cross country up Conness Creek to Roosevelt Lake last year. Very nice part of the park, and we saw nobody for two days.